I came across this Oliva Cigar Box Ukulele a couple of years ago near the top of Mt. Leconte in the Great Smokey Mountains. It’s a good hike to the Leconte Lodge so it’s not somewhere the average day hiker even attempts. I asked the volunteers that work the lodge and no one knew the story behind it. I posted about it on Cigar Box Nation with no answers. Even a guy sells CBGs in Gatlinburg at the foot of the mountain didn’t know anything about it.
Now almost 2 years later I came across a Ukulele blog and behold, the Oliva cigar box uke was the header pic for the blog, along with a post that solved my mystery.
You can read about it here
boxheadsunited 
Hi,
Wow for a minute there I thought you were going to tell me you knew where the Oliva cigar box uke is these days. Yes, I hike up to Le Conte at least annually and took the Oliva (I named her Olivia. Don’t we attribute personality to all our ukuleles?) on the back of my pack to leave in the lodge for people to play. There are two guitars up there, but not a ukulele. I had hoped, of course, that when I returned every year I would have a ukulele to play and not have to carry it up there with me.
Funny, but I woodburned the Ukulele Perspective blog name in the back of Olivia so if anyone wanted to know where she came from the blog could be checked. Guess it wasn’t noticeable enough. And if you Chris (manager) were there when you were there, he could have told you.
But here’s the real mystery. She was gone when I was there last year. I carried up strings to change them. But she was gone.
I have featured her on the UP blog banner in hopes that whoever has taken her will assure me she is in good hands. No luck so far. I looked everywhere and asked all around camp up there — of course checking with Allison and Chris. They couldn’t remember when she was last seen on the wall. I doubt that she is there this year. I am wondering if I should take another one up and leave it, but it seems like the old days of honesty and sharing among some hikers may be a dated concept .
She was an early cigar box ukulele I made. I could take a later model. What do you think? Or would the new one just disappear by the next year too? Should I wood burn “Do not take” or “Property of Le Conte” on a satin finished spruce soundboard. Olivia was pretty rustic (with a particularly tiny fretboard and neck) so I thought no one would take her — and she’d fit in with her surroundings.
So should I?
Best,
Ukulele Perspective
That’s a shame that someone took it. My dad and I day hike Mt. LeConte once a year. That year that we hiked and saw the cb uke was special because it was after his recovery from a triple bypass. Last year when we went we noticed it was gone, I assumed that the owner took it home. It is discouraging that someone else took it. I looked forward to picking around on it again. I would encourage you to take another one up and maybe mark it property of the lodge. Heck I may build a one and take it up this year. We may be going in late August or September.
Hmmm. Glad to hear someone enjoyed it when it was up there the first year. I’m debating about taking one up this Spring — just posted on it since your comment reminded me of why I featured it in the blog banner. BTW, good for your dad hiking up there after TBP. Which trail do you take?
We take the Alum Bluff Cave trail. We have debated taking other routes but we love the views along the way of that one. We have a new challenge this year though, he is having his hip replaced in a few weeks. We will see if he is ready for the trail come the end of summer.
Sent from my iPhone
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